With One Piece Season 2 ready to set sail in March of next year and production gearing up for the already greenlit third season, Netflix has begun announcing new cast members. This week alone, two major additions were revealed for Season 3: Bon Clay and Portgas D. Ace, the latter of whom will be played by Blue Beetle and Cobra Kai star Xolo Maridueña.
Portgas D. Ace is a fan-favorite character in One Piece, playing a significant and central role in the overarching story. He's first introduced at the end of the Drum Island Arc, which will technically be covered in the upcoming Season 2; however, he isn't heavily featured until the Alabasta Arc.
Netflix confirmed that Xolo Maridueña's casting is for Season 3 of One Piece, which suggests the showrunners are rolling his introduction into the Alabasta Arc for Season 3. Perhaps we'll get some sort of post-credits scene at the end of Season 2, teasing the character's highly anticipated debut.
Without diving too far into spoilers for those who haven't read the manga or watched the anime, Portgas D. Ace serves as a key catalyst for the story’s progression and Luffy’s growth. The biological son of the legendary Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, Ace shares an especially strong bond with Monkey D. Luffy. Charismatic and loyal, yet hot-headed, reckless, and impulsive, he’s deeply protective of those he cares about but wrestles with the burden of his lineage and painful doubts about his right to exist.
Xolo Maridueña rose to prominence for playing Miguel Diaz in Netflix's hit series Cobra Kai. He also starred as Jaime Reyes/Blue Beetle in the 2023 DC Comics superhero film Blue Beetle.
Joining Maridueña for Season 3 of One Piece is Cole Escola. The American comedian and actor will play Bon Escola, another fan-favorite character who plays a crucial heroic role during the Impel Down Arc. Escola doesn't have quite the resume as Maridueña, but the actor's comedic style and public persona should lend well to Bon Clay's flamboyant, over-the-top persona.
One Piece Season 3 is expected to begin production this year. However, fans can look forward to the premiere of Season 2 on March 10, 2026, on Netflix. Season 2, Into the Grand Line, will adapt most of the Alabasta Arc, including the Reverse Mountain Arc, Whisky Peak Arc, Little Garden Arc, and Drum Island Arc.
“Luffy and the Straw Hats set sail for the extraordinary Grand Line — a legendary stretch of sea where danger and wonder await at every turn. As they journey through this unpredictable realm in search of the world’s greatest treasure, they’ll encounter bizarre islands and a host of formidable new enemies.”
Season 1 of the live-action One Piece series is available to stream exclusively on Netflix.